Honorable Aliyu Iliyasu Abubakar, is a member of the National Assembly, representing Safana/Batsari/Dan Musa federal constituency of Katsina State. He spoke with NASSNEWS on the need for the Federal Government to act on United Nation’s report on terrorists’ cells in Katsina State
NASSNEWS: Tell us about yourself and your motion on the urgent need to act on United Nations report on terrorists cells in Katsina State.
HONORABLE ALIYU ABUBAKAR: I am an indegene of Katsina State born in Batsari Local Government Area of the state.
NASSNEWS: Did you grow up there?
HONORABLE ALIYU ABUBAKAR :Yes I did.
NASSNEWS: So, why did you decide to move your motion sir?
HONORABLE ALIYU ABUBAKAR: What motivated me to move this motion was that, being from that constituency, my people are faced with a high level of banditry. I had earlier presented two motions on the floor of the House under matters of urgent public importance and this one came again as a motion. In my constituency, we experienced a lot of shootings. Kidnapping is the order of the day. Bandits usually come to many places to attack my people. They kill people, and kidnap for ransom. Even my own blood brother was shot and killed. They kidnapped his wife and his youngest child, we had to pay some kind of ransom for them to be released and he died instantly . Another traditional ruler in Danmusa Local Government Area was shot and killed. So, there are a lot of banditry activities in the constituency. That was what motivated me to move the motion. There was a United Nations report about the total cells in Katsina State, they are expanding across the northern Nigeria, but the most important ones are those in Katsina forest. They are in Kankara, Safana, Jibia, Batsari and in some frontline local government areas that are faced with insecurity. So this is what prompted me as a representative and member of that constituency to move that motion as regards banditry.
NASSNEWS: While growing up in Katsina, did you experience any form of banditry?
HONORABLE ALIYU ABUBAKAR: I did not. I must commend the Executive Governor of Katsina State. He is doing his best at the moment. He has established what we call community watch Corps ,and security agencies that do go to the forest to combat banditry activities. So, I must commend him for that. The level of banditry is reducing to an extent. There is, however, a lot to be done.
NASSNEWS: So, what do you think the government can do to cub this situation?
HONORABLE ALIYU ABUBAKAR : Well, it is for the relevant security agencies to do more, they are doing their best, but we have to do more. They have to do more to see that banditry activities are reduced in my constituency, the state and even in the entire northern Nigeria. There is nothing we can do as lawmakers other than to advise the government to intervene and also, take care of those that had been displaced, perhaps some relief materials should be provided by the government. There is a lot of humanitarian crisis, amenities like the schools, hospitals, access roads, food and other things are in short supply. So, we are calling on the government to take measures to curtail the situation and provide relief materials to the people.
NASSNEWS: Do you think the government is doing enough to curb this situation?
HONORABLE ALIYU ABUBAKAR: As i told you, we can’t say they are doing enough, but they are doing their best to see that bandit activities are brought down, but they needed to do more. In this kind of situation, the government has to do more. We are grateful, as I told you, the Governor is doing his best and the security agencies, the soldiers, the police, the SSS and others are doing their best in the constituency. That does not mean that they will not do more. They are doing their best and we are grateful for that.
NASSNEWS : In general, now, let’s look at Nigeria. What do you feel about the situation presently in the country? The people are hungry and angry. What do you think can be done to reduce the current hardship of the people?
HONORABLE ALIYU ABUBAKAR: The most important thing to look into, is employment for our youths. This kind of inflation we are experiencing now is unfortunate and the government should come in to see that the cost of things are brought down. The government knows what to do.